November 12th, 2019
Artist Grants totaling $31,000 were Awarded to 11 Artists from the Area
The Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council is pleased to announce that $30,000 in Professional Mid-Career Artist Grants has been awarded to ten artists at $3,000 each and a $1,000 Artist Career Development Grant to one local artist for a total of $31,000, announces Brenda Byron, PLRAC Executive Director. The purpose of the Artist Grant Program is to provide financial support to artists committed to advancing their work and careers. Artists expanding their present work and advancing in skill or technique are eligible. Applications are accepted from artists in all art disciplines including: dance, literature, media arts, music, theater, and visual art. This program is made possible by funds provided by the McKnight Foundation of Minneapolis under a program designed and administered by the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council, Waseca.
“We are excited that these eleven artists will be creating new works in a variety of media” noted Byron, and below is a list of Artists and their projects. We hope that other artists will be inspired and plan to apply for a future grant from Prairie Lakes. The next deadline for a $1,000 Artist Career Development Grant is January 15, 2020 and the next Professional Mid-Career Artist Grant deadline is September 15, 2020 for a $3,000 grant. Grant program information and a link to the online applications are available at www.plrac.org.
Three Blue Earth County artists were funded and they include:
- Sarah Houle, Mankato – $3,000. Sarah is a musician and will use the grant to create a new composition of ten related chamber pieces for winds, brass, percussion and piano entitled “Stars of the North”. She will also collaborate with a videographer to create a silent film to be played during performances, featuring images from Minnesota’s North Shore and Iron Range. Grant will be used for travel and lodging, performance space and equipment rental, posters and concert programs, and artist’s creative time. She plans to perform a free concert at Bethany Lutheran College and a ticketed concert at the State Street Theater, October or November 2020.
- Cameron Johnson, Mankato – $3,000. Cameron is a visual artist and will use the grant to create new watercolor paintings and time lapse animations of his painting process to post on multiple online platforms. Grant will be used to purchase a time lapse video camera, recording supplies, canvas, painting supplies, business cards, exhibition postcards, and artist’s creative time. He plans to have exhibits of the new work in Mankato at the Carnegie Art Center, September 2020 and Vagabond Village, October 2020.
- Wilbur Neushwander-Frink, Mankato – $3,000. Wilbur is a playwright and will use the grant to attend the three week “The Journey of the Mask” workshop at Pig Iron Theater in Philadelphia, June 2020, to gain knowledge about creating and incorporating masks into her work. Grant will be used for workshop fees, travel, and lodging. She plans to host a free mask workshop for local actors and community members upon her return at the Centenary United Methodist Church, Mankato, October 2020.
Two Brown County artists were funded and they include:
- Andrea Gehrke, New Ulm – $3,000. Andrea is a musician and will use the grant to create her third album with songs showcasing how nature ties to the ebbs and flow of living. She will also work on the artwork for the album. Grant will be used to purchase a camera and lens, travel and lodging, and artist’s creative time. She plans to have a concert at the Grand Kabaret, New Ulm or the Arts Center of Saint Peter in the fall of 2020 or spring of 2021.
- Pegeen Rozeske, New Ulm – $3,000. Pegeen is a cordwainer (shoemaker) and historical re-enactor and will use the grant to purchase equipment and gain visibility for her art. Grant will be used to purchase a canopy, folding tables, table cloths for festivals, a stitching machine, and other shoemaking supplies. She plans to demonstrate at multiple fairs and festivals and give classes on shoe making at the Mankato Makerspace using the stitching machine.
Faribault County artist Shelley Caldwell from Delavan was funded at $3,000. Shelley is a visual artist and will use the grant to complete a new series of mixed media botanical portraits on paper, featuring vegetation that grows in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Grant will be used for mixed media art supplies, frames, exhibit postcards, and artist’s creative time. She plans to have an exhibition at the Carnegie Art Center, Mankato, July 9-25, 2020.
Four Nicollet County artists were funded and they include:
- Andrew Hellmund, St. Peter – $3,000. Andrew is a sculptor and will use the grant to create large scale, metal sculptures using discarded materials from local industries. Grant will be used to purchase metal scraps, advertising, shop expenses, and artist’s creative time. He plans to install the sculptures in the Arboretum at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. The installation will be in conjunction with his sculpture exhibit at the Arts Center of Saint Peter with another sculptor David Hyduke, July 5-27, 2020.
- Bryan Holland, St. Peter – $3,000. Bryan is a visual artist and will use the grant to create approximately twenty 2D and 3D mixed media assemblages. Grant will be used for tools and mixed media art supplies, scaffolding rental, and artist’s creative time. He plans to have an exhibit of the new work at the Arts Center of Saint Peter, April 2-May 1, 2021.
- April Malphurs, St. Peter – $3,000. April is a visual artist and will use the grant to create free standing sculptures combining blown glass pieces, imagery and collage focusing on teen identity issues, mental illness, and opportunities for healing and hope. Grant will be used for glass, tools, and other art supplies, travel, and shop and equipment rental fees. She plans to have an exhibit at the Carnegie Art Center, Mankato, September 2020, including student field trips and gallery talks.
- Ronda Redmond, St. Peter – $3,000. Ronda is a writer and will use the grant to complete and publish her poetry chapbook. Grant will be used for editorial and publication services. She plans to have a book launch at the Arts Center of St. Peter towards the end of 2020.
Watonwan County artist David Stordalen from St. James was funded at $1,000. David is a musician and conductor and will use the artist grant to attend the Conductor’s Guild 2020 International Conference in Montreal, Canada, February 5-7, 2020 to gain knowledge about conducting technique, score study, music history and music repertoire. Grant will be used for conductor’s scores, and travel expenses. He plans to present a local concert of the music he studied with a local ensemble.
Prairie Lakes provides grants for artists and arts activities including dance, media arts, music, theater, literature, and visual art classes and exhibitions. The next arts and community organization grant for arts projects is December 1, 2020. The next Professional Mid-Career Artist Grant deadline is September 15, 2020 for a $3,000 grant and the $1,000 Artist Career Development Grant deadline is January 15, 2020. Grant program information and a link to the online applications are available at www.plrac.org or contact Brenda Byron, Executive Director, at the PLRAC office in Waseca, 1-800–298-1254 or plrac@hickorytech.net for information. The PLRAC serves a nine county area in south central Minnesota.